S. Elgin police to increase bike patrols

South Elgin residents can expect to see more police officers this year patrolling parks and riding through neighborhoods on bikes.

Police Chief Chris Merritt said he plans to have officers spend part of their normal work weeks on a modified bike patrol performing more community outreach once the weather gets better. Previously, bike patrol was considered overtime and reserved for weekends.

"We're going to be back in the parks, in the community and neighborhoods," Merritt told village trustees Monday night during a budget workshop. "We're excited about that."

Merritt said the department also will buy a Segway, a two-wheeled, self-balancing, self-propelled transportation device, to give officers another option besides a bike. "If an officer elects, they can pedal or use the Segway," he said.

The department also plans to make several other improvements this coming year. One of them is spending nearly $32,500 on new computer-aided dispatch equipment.

"Ours is becoming outdated as technology improves faster and faster," said Merritt, adding that the department has not chosen which system to buy.

Merritt said the department also plans to purchase a voice stress analyzer that can assist detectives when obtaining confessions.

City officials were cool to the idea of buying more police cars, at least right now. Each car costs about $22,000 through the state's cooperative buying system, but can cost about $40,000 after it's been outfitted with emergency lights, radar guns, digital video cameras and other equipment.

While the cameras are expensive, they help resolve disputes when it's a person's word against an officer or if someone claims police acted improperly.

"It really does assist us if we do have a complaint," Merritt said. "Luckily for us, we don't have many complaints."

Overall, the department plans to spend about $5.29 million, which is about a 4 percent increase over the $5.07 million spent last year. The department also expects to collect $70,000 in "ordinance violations" for infractions such as parking tickets. This is a 34 percent increase from the $52,000 collected last year and due in part to increased tickets handed out over the winter, Merritt said.